Home > Newsroom > Golden Triangle Completes Phase I of Duke Ellington Park Renovation
The Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), under a grant from the DC Department of Energy and Environment, recently completed the first phase of a redesign and renovation of Duke Ellington Park at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and M Street, NW. The project included the installation of permeable pavers and a sustainable rainwater harvesting system, along with an electrical conduit for lighting.
By capturing stormwater runoff from New Hampshire Avenue and surrounding sidewalks, an underground system will retain, reuse and treat runoff, before pumping the water back above ground to nourish the plant life in the park. The system will help to minimize the amount of stormwater runoff that flows into DC’s wastewater treatment center and create flourishing rain gardens in the process.
With the support of funding from DOEE, the Golden Triangle led the effort to revamp the park – located between New Hampshire Avenue, 21st Street and M Street, NW – into a more environmentally sustainable and usable space within the city. CallisonRTKL, a leading sustainability architecture firm with a DC office a block away from the park, was brought on to create a concept plan to activate and expand the usable footprint of the park.
“When we adopted Duke Ellington Park from the city, we were excited to transform the underutilized space into an activated, sustainable place for residents, workers and visitors in the area,” said Leona Agouridis, Executive Director of the Golden Triangle BID. “Building on the success of our other rain gardens and other sustainability initiatives throughout the Golden Triangle neighborhood, we can’t wait to see how this park grows in use and continues to transform before our eyes.”
“We are delighted to see Duke Ellington Park revitalized into such a beautiful gathering spot, with green technology and sustainability at the heart of its renewal,” said DOEE Director Tommy Wells. “We’re pleased to partner with the Golden Triangle on this project and to showcase the various environmental benefits of employing this innovative approach for managing stormwater runoff.”
The 4,575-square-foot park will capture and treat water flowing from more than 10,000 square feet of existing untreated impervious surface, including adjacent roadway and sidewalk storm water runoff. The runoff will enter the underground rainwater harvesting system through the permeable pavers now covering the park or via the rain garden. The water will then pass through crushed stone to filter out impurities before being channeled through a piping system to a 2,000 gallon underground tank. Water collected in the tank will be filtered again before being used to irrigate the park’s trees and supply water flow for a newly installed decorative fountain.
A second phase of the Duke Ellington Park project, which could begin as early as spring 2018, would include extending the existing sidewalk along M Street and realigning the M Street bike lane adjacent to the park. It would also include installation of additional rain gardens along the 21st Street sidewalk, enlarging existing tree boxes along the New Hampshire Avenue and M Street sidewalks, and redesigning the landscaping within the northern portion of the park.
About the Golden Triangle BID
The Golden Triangle BID is a non-profit corporation that works to enhance the Golden Triangle — the 43-square-block neighborhood that stretches from the front yard of the White House to Dupont Circle. The primary focus of the BID is to provide a clean, safe, and vibrant environment within this remarkable neighborhood, and to retain and attract businesses to the Golden Triangle. The BID connects its members to numerous resources, events, and information in and around the neighborhood and strives to increase quality of life through public safety and maintenance services. Together with corporate and government partners, the BID develops and implements programs that strengthen the vitality of the Golden Triangle. For more, visit goldentriangledc.com.
Media contact:
Steve Simon, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, 202-463-6986, ssimon@goldentriangledc.com
